One Click Away
by Siancore
Summary: Rating changed to M. Richonne try internet dating.
1. Chapter 1

A/N: This is AU fluff for your pleasure. I have posted this to Tumblr mainly for the graphics that accompany the story, so please have a look and search my tags for _One Click Away_ to enjoy the pictures that help tell this tale.

* * *

"Okay," said Rick. "What's happening now? Did I mess somethin' up?"

He glanced down at his phone and noticed that the screen he had just been looking at had changed. He held the phone up so his partner and best friend could look at it.

"Oh, you got a match," said Shane.

"Really?" asked Rick dubiously.

He had only just let Shane talk him into creating an online dating profile, he did not really think the website was going to be able to match him with a compatible mate.

"Yes sir," replied Shane. "See, a link to her profile pops up on yours."

"And you said my profile was shitty," Rick laughed, as he peered down at the small photo of an attractive woman.

"It is shitty," Shane retorted. "I'm amazed the site even matched you with someone. Lemme see! I need to have a closer look."

Rick handed his phone over to his best friend as they sat in the squad car on their lunch break. Rick took a bite from his burger and watched on as Shane's face was covered with a wide smile.

"It ain't the clearest picture, but she looks good," he told Rick.

"What do I do now?" Rick asked as he held his hand out for the phone.

"Hold on, Romeo; lemme figure it out," said turned the device so that Rick could see it.

"Here, we can either add her as a friend, send a message or have a look at her profile first," said Shane.

"We?" asked Rick, as his stomach fluttered a little when he gazed at her profile picture once more.

"We as in 'Team Get Rick Laid', buddy. You wouldn't even know what to do if I wasn't here showin' you," Shane laughed.

Rick rolled his eyes but had to admit he was not so good with technology and social media.

"Okay, let's look at her profile first," Rick said. "What do I press?"

"Click her picture," said Shane.

Rick did just that and waited. Soon the mystery woman's profile finished loading and Shane handed the phone back to its owner. Rick noticed right away that the lady the site matched him with had the most radiant smile he had ever seen. Her dark eyes shone brightly and her dark skin shimmered; she was absolutely breathtaking.

Rick was so taken with her that he did not realize he was sitting in silence just staring at the screen; that was until Shane tried to grab the device from his hand.

"Hey, asshole," said Rick. "Watch out. I don't want to press somethin' I'm not supposed to."

"I just wanna see,' said Shane as Rick let him look.  
"Shit. She's hot. Too hot for you," Shane offered playfully. " _Mi_ -chonne? Mi _chonne_? And look, she's got friends."  
Rick laughed and shook his head.

"Michonne, that's nice," Rick said absently; liking the way her name rolled off his tongue. "Now what?"

"Well, you can go and like her pics or send a message," Shane explained.

"What d'ya think I should do?"

xXxXx

Michonne had finally gotten to take a breather at work after a long day in court. She and her best friend Andrea had grabbed some lunch and found a nice shaded outdoors area where they could sit and eat. Michonne took a seat and then pulled out her phone.

"I told you to leave it in your purse back in your office," Andrea said. "I'm sure they can leave you alone for thirty minutes while you eat."

Michonne shrugged.

"I know, I just don't want to miss anything important," she offered and she unlocked her screen and scrolled her notifications.

She opened up her emails and sighed.

"What is it now? If you have to leave, I swear I'm never making a lunch date with you ever again," Andrea said as she opened her sandwich and started to remove the pieces of tomato.

"No, it's not work. It just that website we signed up to," Michonne explained as she deleted the email.

"Which site? The dating one?" asked Andrea.

Michonne nodded her head and drank from her bottled water.

"You got a notification just now? What did it say?" Andrea queried, not worried about her sandwich anymore.

"I don't know. I get them all the time, but I just delete them," Michonne explained.

"Why would you go and do something like that? We signed up so we can find men to double-date, remember?" said Andrea.

"I just haven't had time to respond; I've stopped accepting men trying to add me on there. It's probably not fair on the guys anyways. I shouldn't commit to anything if I have no time," she said as she placed her phone down.

"You're not obligated to give these guys anything, Mich. You're just checking 'em out in case you get time to commit to something. So come on, log into your profile and check your notifications," Andrea urged.

Michonne sighed again thinking she really should have deleted the profile. She did however, do as her friend suggested and was surprised to see that someone had gone and liked all of her pictures, every last one. She clicked on his name, Rick G, and it took her to his profile page. She could scarcely hide her grin when she saw the handsome, blue eyed stranger smiling at her from his profile picture.

"What?" asked Andrea. "Is he hot?"

Michonne just handed her device over so her friend could see for herself. Andrea raised her eyebrows and tilted her head to the side.

"Well, alright Michonne. Nice! Very, nice. What's going on with you and this, _Rick G_?" said Andrea.

"Nothing," Michonne replied as she took her phone back. "He just liked all of my pics."

"Well what are you gonna do?" said Andrea.

"I don't know; he only liked my pics, there's not much I can do," Michonne replied.

"It means he likes how you look, girl! You have to send him a message or something," Andrea offered excitedly.

She really did want Michonne to have some fun in her life as she worked way too much and had not been on a proper date for almost a year.

"I haven't even read his profile," said Michonne as she glanced at the few details. "Doesn't say much; oh, he's got kids."

"You like kids," said Andrea.

"Yeah, but I don't know about dating someone who has kids," she replied.

Andrea shrugged and Michonne shook her head.

"What am I even saying? The guy only liked my pictures, I'm getting way ahead of myself," she sighed.

"No, it's a dating site. If they like how you look, it's implied that they wouldn't mind a date. So, what are you gonna do with this information?" Andrea offered before Michonne could talk herself out of it.

"I guess I could send him a message," said Michonne. "A quick hello. Something like that."

"Are you gonna do it now?" asked Andrea.

"I might do it later. It's kind of rude of me to be on the phone while we're having lunch," she said quickly.

"Mich, don't chicken out," Andrea said.

"I won't, I promise," said Michonne with a small smile. "As soon as I get home, I'll send Rick G a message."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Thanks to those who are following, reading, and reviewing. I appreciate the support!

* * *

The early afternoon sun hung lazily in the sky as Rick and Shane finally made it back to the station. They walked up the front steps and Shane was amidst a rant about something or other; Rick was not paying attention as his eyes were glued to the phone in his hand.

"…And to top it all off, she wasn't even gonna leave her husband. Rick? Are you even listenin'?" said Shane as he glanced back at his friend.

"Uh?" replied Rick, still scrolling down his screen.

"Are you still stalkin' her profile, Rick?" said Shane, as he stopped and placed his hands on his hips.

"What? No. I was just checkin' my emails…"

"Since when did you care about your emails? You been waitin' to see if that chick sent you anything, am I right?" asked Shane, with a wide grin.

Rick felt his face grow warm as he averted his gaze and then shrugged.

"I told you to send her a message instead of just likin' all of her pics. She's gonna think you're some kind of mute perv or something," Shane joked.

"Really?" asked Rick, slightly concerned.

Shane rolled his eyes: "Nah, man. She'll take it as a compliment. But you really should've said somethin'. Maybe even just a hello," Shane offered.

"Well should I do it now?" asked Rick. "You know, say hello?"

"No, this is all time stamped. She'll see that you liked all of her pictures and then see that it took a few hours before you said hello. That don't seem like a confident type of guy to me, so she might see it that way too. Just wait it out, buddy. You're a good lookin' fella, so I'm sure she's gonna be interested," said Shane, which surprised Rick a little.

The two men were best friends since they were small children; if there was anyone who had Rick's best interests at heart, it was his friend Shane.

"Okay," said Rick. "I'll wait."

xXxXx

Michonne looked down at the screen on her iPad and then scrunched her nose up; her message read: _Hi! My name's Michonne and I just wanted to say..._

"He knows your name, Michonne," she said to herself sarcastically. "It says it right there on your profile."

She deleted the message that she had started typing, unhappy with what little she had written. She was not adept in the world of online dating; she found it easier to strike up a conversation with someone she found attractive who was standing right in front of her. She could get a good read on who they were as a person. She looked at Rick's profile once more; there was not really that much information about him. Sighing, she started to feel a little apprehensive at the prospect of making contact with a stranger. She picked up her phone and sent Andrea a message.

Michonne: _Hey. I'm having second thoughts about this whole online dating thing._

Andrea: _What?! No! I knew you'd chiken out._

Michonne: _I'm not chicken. Just having second thoughts. I don't even know this Rick G. He could be a mass murderer or worse: a Republican!_

Andrea: _Ha Ha Funny. I'm calling now_

"Hey," said Michonne as she answered the call from Andrea.

"What happened? Why did you change your mind?" asked Andrea, not wanting to be pushy.

"Honestly, I don't know what to say. What do you say to someone who you don't know; someone who's not in front of you? Everything I typed sounded silly. I don't know what to say," Michonne admitted.

"It's not a huge deal. Just say hello and ask him how he's doing. You don't have to give him your life story. Just make contact. He could be the man you're looking for. He could be this amazing, funny, sweet guy who fits you like a glove. You'll never know if you don't," said Andrea.

Michonne laughed a little; her friend was a hopeless romantic and Michonne was a realist. Though, she could not understand why she was being so nervous, after all, it was a simple, quick hello.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop overthinking it and just do it," she conceded.

"Great! Well, let me know what he says when he replies," said Andrea.

" _If_ he replies," Michonne corrected.

"Bitch, have you looked in the mirror lately? That man is gonna reply," Andrea said earnestly, causing Michonne to laugh once more before the friends bid each other goodnight.

Rick picked up the remote control and turned off his television set; he stood and placed the remote down on the coffee table next to his cell phone. Checking the time, Rick yawned and then unlocked his screen; he thought he might look over his profile one more time to see if he had received any notifications from Michonne. He was worried that he had scared her away by going through her page and liking all of her photos without even sending a greeting.

Rick opened his app and then felt a flutter in his stomach as he read his notifications:

 _Michonne liked you photo_

 _Michonne liked your photo_

 _Michonne sent you a friend request_

 _Michonne sent you a message_

* * *

A/N: I posted the version with graphics on Tumblr for those who are following me there. More to come!


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: I posted this update on Tumblr last week and thought to share it here as the S6 finale was all kinds of stressful. Get ready for the fluff!

* * *

 _Hello. How are you? I hope all is well with you._

 _Please bear with me, I'm really new to this online dating thing. I had a look at your profile and thought you sounded nice. I don't really know what else to say here, but I hope we can get to know one another a little better._

 _I do look forward to hearing from you._

 _Regards,_

 _Michonne._

Rick smiled when he read her message for the third time; it was a perfect way to make contact, he thought. Straight to the point, courteous, and not expecting or offering too much. He was definitely interested in getting to know this Michonne better, and now that she had reached out, Rick was eager to respond; he just wish he knew how to without sounding silly.

"You're in a good mood, Dad," said Carl as he took a seat at the kitchen table and grabbed the box of cereal; he poured some for Judith and then filled his own bowl.

Rick looked up from his phone, before closing the app, locking his screen, and placing the device back into his pocket. He walked to the coffee pot and then gave his son a questioning look.

"I'm always in a good mood," said Rick, as Carl looked at him in disbelief.

"Not before you've had your coffee," Carl retorted.

Rick shook his head, unable to wipe the smirk from his face.

"Just eat your cereal," was all he could come up with in response.

Rick and his children sat at the table and shared breakfast like they did every morning. Judith chatted away about her upcoming field trip and reminded Rick he needed to sign the permission slip while Carl eyed his father suspiciously; he had noticed Rick looking at his phone and wearing an odd grin. The teenager reasoned that it was way too early in the morning for Rick to be in this good a mood.

"You okay, Dad?" asked the boy.

Rick put his phone away once more.

"Sure am, son," he answered. "Never been better."

* * *

"What're you doin', man?" asked Shane.

"Uh?" asked Rick as he shifted his gaze from his phone screen to his partner.

"I asked what ya doin'. You been starin' at that damn phone all mornin'. You sendin' nudes to that chick?" asked Shane as he wriggled his eyebrows.

Rick scrunched up his face and shook his head.

"Don't be stupid," Rick replied. "I'm just replying to Michonne. We been exchangin' messages all day."

Shane noticed the goofy grin on his friend's face and could not help but smile with him.

"Well all right, Rick. I'm proud o' you, son. You're gettin' the hang o' this," Shane said proudly.

"I'm tryin'," said Rick. "I wish it was a little easier than this. I have to keep goin' back into my profile to reply."

"Ask for her number," Shane said.

"Nah, man. Too soon, don't you think?" asked Rick.

"Not at all," Shane replied.

"I dunno," said Rick. "This is okay for now. Don't wanna move too quickly or somethin'."

"God, you're so brand new, ain't ya?" Shane chortled as Rick shrugged. "Why don't you friend her on Facebook?"

"Really?" asked Rick.

"Yeah, go for it. You're used to usin' it now, so if it makes it easier, ask if she has Facebook," Shane offered.

Rick squinted his eyes and then tilted his head to the side.

"Okay then," he replied.

 _Rick Grimes: Hello Michonne. Thanks for accepting my friend request. I thought it'd be easier for us to chat here. I'm actually a little better with facebook._

 _Michonne Harris: Hey Rick :)_ _I'm happy to friend you (that sounds so weird, doesn't it?). So, how was your day? I hope I wasn't interrupting you with my messages. I enjoyed 'talking' to you :)_

 _Rick Grimes: I'm glad you did because now I can delete that dating profile. And you weren't interrupting me at all! It was fun talking to you._

 _Michonne Harris: You're deleting your profile? Why?_

 _Rick Grimes: Truth be told, I'm not interested in anyone else._

 _Michonne Harris: :) :) :)_

 _Michonne Harris: Cute_

 _Rick Grimes: Yes you are!_

 _Michonne Harris: Gosh, you're so sweet Rick._

xXxX

Rick and Michonne chatted away into the night for a few hours; they spoke about everything from their favorite movies and music to their favorite ice cream flavors. She found him so easy-going and he found her interesting and exciting. He spoke lovingly about his children and she spoke about her aspirations for the future. It was almost twelve-thirty in the morning before Michonne reluctantly told Rick she would have to call it a night if she wanted to be in any way productive at work the next day. He respected her wishes and bid her goodnight, telling her how much he enjoyed chatting with her. Before she signed off, Michonne sent another message that included her phone number and asked for Rick's; he quickly replied with his before they said goodnight again.

…..

The time was a little past one o'clock and Rick could not sleep; his mind was racing, his smile would not fade and it was all because of Michonne. Even though he had not met her or laid eyes on her in real life, Rick was drawn to this woman. He could not remember the last time he had had so much fun talking to someone, and they were really just chatting online.

He shook his head at how strange it all seemed to be having feelings of attraction to someone he had only begun to know through social media. He knew he liked her, and she seemed like such a nice person; he just hoped she at least liked him in the same way. Restless, and still very much wide awake, Rick grabbed his laptop and logged on; he reasoned he would like one more look at Michonne's gorgeous face before he attempted to sleep. He went to his Facebook account and then found her profile page. He could not help but feel a little giddy when he saw her status:

 _There are still some really great guys in the world and I happy to know one of them. I cannot stop smiling right now_ _:) :) :) :) :) :) :) :)_


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Hi all! This one is a bit of a filler. Now, some responses because you are all so lovely:

impvme: They are definitely a little shy, but liking the whole journey of getting to know one another.

dirtiebertie17: I's so glad they're coming off as adorkable lol that was my aim.

sleepywitchysamurai: You know, I totally smile the whole time I am writing it…

itscalledkarma: Yay! Adorakable Rick is one of my favourite Ricks to write.

simple1234: Naw it makes me smile knowing that you're smiling!

Zeejack: I am so glad you mentioned that this story can stand alone without the graphics. I love writing it and sharing it on Tumblr, but I do know a lot of my readers here would enjoy reading it as well. Just happy it worked out. Thank you!

Literaturechick: Thank you so much! I always appreciate you taking the time to leave me such wonderful feedback.

K1k1-Wr1tes: Thanks for your feedback; I would update more regularly, but I have a friend creating the graphics for Tumblr and have to find time to tell her exactly what I need before posting it there and then here. I am happy that you're enjoying this though!

ShunnieIsFine: Richonne smiling = me smiling = you smiling! We're all smiling and it's so much fun. Thank you!

* * *

The ceiling fan of the small diner spun quickly; a faint ticking sound was released with each revolution. Rick sipped from the blue straw that led from his lips to the glass of homemade lemonade as he listened to Shane speaking about what he was going to be doing on the weekend. Rick was not really paying close attention to his partner and best friend because the stories always started and ended the same: Shane always had some 'hot date' with an unsuspecting young woman he had just met and by Monday morning, he would have a new conquest to tell Rick about.

Rick had learned not to ask any questions as Shane was already quite adept at giving him details that he had not wanted to know in the first instance. There was a lull in the conversation just as Rick heard his phone's message alert sound. He retrieved it from his pocket and smiled widely when he saw who it was from. Shane watched on quite amused to see his friend light up; he let him text a few times knowing that it was this mysterious Michonne who had brought some delight into Rick's life.

 _Michonne: Hey. It's Michonne. I thought I should text. Hope that's okay._

 _Rick: Hey. That OK. I'm glad to hear from you._

 _Rick: *That's_

 _Michonne: You're so cute. I wanted to ask: If I call you tonight, will you answer?_

 _Rick: Are you serious? Of course I'd answer you! I can't wait to hear your voice._

"Michonne, uh?" asked Shane as Rick placed the phone down after he sent his last response.

"Yeah," he offered with a wide beam. "She wanted to know if she could give me a call later."

"The two of you haven't had phone sex yet?" asked Shane with a smile of his own.

Rick rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, asshole. We haven't even spoken yet," Rick explained.

"But you traded numbers almost a week ago," Shane replied incredulously.

"Yeah, well we've only been chatting, haven't gotten around to phone calls yet," Rick countered.

"Why didn't you just call her?" asked Shane. "You a grown ass man, she's a grown ass woman."

Rick sighed.

"You really wanna know why?" he asked as Shane nodded his head. "I was worried about how the kids might react. You know, me talkin' to someone. A woman. Carl will tell his grandparents and I'll end up bombarded with questions about who she is and how we met and what my intentions are."

Shane leaned back in his seat and wiped his mouth with a napkin.

"Buddy, I'm gonna be completely honest with you right now. Whoever you're talkin' to in your spare time got nothin' to do with anyone else. You take care of them kids on your own and do a damn good job of it. You're allowed to have other relationships; you're allowed to have a little time to yourself. Carl's a good kid. He'll understand when the time comes. Judy just wants to see her daddy smile more often," Shane said in earnest.

"You know what? You're actually right," Rick said as he looked at his phone screen once again. "You are right."

xXxXx

The work day had become busy for Rick in what seemed like no time and he was ready to go home. Having just gotten off the phone to Carl who had picked Judith up from school, Rick thought to check his text messages.

He was a little worried when Michonne did not respond to the last message he had sent. He agonized for a while over what he had said when he stated that he was eager to hear her voice. He asked Shane if it sounded creepy, and his friend said it was fine, although Rick did not readily trust his best friend's judgement on such things, he was trying.

A smile crossed his face when he saw that he had received a message from Michonne:

 _Michonne: I'm so sorry about earlier. I received a call just as I was texting you and had to make a mad dash. I'll call you later. I can't wait to hear your voice too x_

He quickly typed in his response, smiled once more and hit the send button.

…..

Rick walked down stairs in his blue pajama bottoms and old brown shirt. He had just finished reading to Judith and settling her into bed and was now checking on Carl; he held his mobile in his hand so as not to miss Michonne's call.

"I'm gonna turn in early, Son," said Rick to Carl as he stood at the foot of the staircase.

"Okay. I'm just gonna finish watching this," Carl offered, not taking his eyes off the television screen. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Don't stay up too late. Goodnight, Son," said Rick as he made his way to his bedroom.

Once inside, Rick set his phone down on the nightstand and picked up the book he had been reading. He found that he had read the same sentence three times as his gaze kept finding the phone; there was a fluttering in his stomach as he anticipated her call. He tried to resume reading, but was still unable to focus out of excitement.

"Calm down, Grimes," he said to himself just as his phone rang and Michonne's name flashed on his screen.

Rick took a deep breath and then accepted the call with a softly spoken _hello_.

"Rick? Hi, it's Michonne…"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I posted this instalment on Tumblr a while ago and didn't update it here; my apologies.

xXxXx

"Rick? Hi, it's Michonne…" she said, trying to mask the nervousness in her voice; Rick did not notice as he was too busy trying to settle the fluttering in his stomach.

 _Michonne_. Her name sounded so wonderfully lovely in her sweet tone. Her voice was rich but it was too soon to sense her accent.

"Hey, Michonne. How are you?" he asked, a smile crossing his face.

"I'm well, thanks. You?" she asked politely.

"I'm doin' great," Rick answered truthfully. "So this is new for me. I have to say, I was a little nervous."

Michonne smiled sweetly; his sincerity was endearing and his southern drawl was pleasing to her ear.

"That's so cute, but I agree," she replied. "Usually you meet someone, exchange numbers and then have a phone conversation. Well, at least that's what I was used to; but times have changed."

"Oh yeah," said Rick with a chuckle. "Like I said, it's all new to me; but I got a good feelin' about you."

He leaned back into his pillow in an effort to get comfortable.

"I have a good feeling about you too," said a smiling Michonne as she hugged the couch cushion.

…..

"Wait, so Carl is a comic book guy?" asked Michonne, thirty minutes into their conversation; it was going well and they had not run out of things to talk about. Rick was happily telling her about his kids and what their plans for the weekend were.

"He is," replied Rick. "I don't know too much about it all, but I drive him to the store every other Wednesday. I mainly wait in the car. Well, he tells me to wait in the car."

Michonne giggled and Rick thought it was the most heavenly sound he had heard in a long time.

"What?" he asked, amused that she seemed so amused by him.

"No, it's just I understand where he's coming from. No one wants their noob of a parent tagging along to the comic book store, but hey; if you need a lift there, then make 'em wait in the car. Been there, done that," she chortled and Rick smiled widely.

"Ah, I get it. You're into comics as well?" Rick asked.

"Yes, I most certainly am," she replied.

"I should have known by lookin' at some of your posts on Facebook," he said.

"Which posts?" she enquired.

"Mainly your pictures," he admitted.

"So, you've been looking at my pics, uh?" she asked in a flirty manner; Rick felt his face grow warm.

"Not in a creepy way," he offered jovially; Michonne chortled.

"I know," she reassured him. "I don't remember you liking any."

"I did. I liked that comic character one. I had to Google what it meant, but then I liked it," he said.

"Which one?" asked Michonne as she grabbed her tablet and brought clicked on her Facebook app; she found the post from several weeks ago. "Oh, the Thorsday post?"

"Yeah, I thought it was very funny after I figured out what it meant," said Rick and Michonne laughed once more.

"You didn't think to ask your son about it?" Michonne asked.

Rick went quiet a moment before answering; it was the first lull in the conversation.

"I, uh, actually didn't ask him because I haven't told him I've been _talkin'_ to anyone," Rick said softly.

Realization set in for Michonne.

"Oh, I see," she said.

"It's not that I don't like what we got goin' on here, it's just I'm not sure how to tell him I'm talkin' to you and that I like you, even though we haven't even met yet," Rick said in earnest. "All of this is so new for me."

"Can I ask you something a little personal?" said Michonne, treading carefully.

"Sure," Rick replied. "Go for it."

"Have you dated anyone since your wife passed?" she asked.

"Yes and no," Rick said honestly. "I definitely met a few ladies and went out with them on occasion, but I wouldn't say I had a strong connection to 'em. If that makes sense."

"It makes complete sense," she replied. "And thanks for being open with me."

Rick smiled.

"You make it easy for me to talk about stuff and thangs. I feel like I got a connection with you," he said, causing Michonne to smile now. "I'm just worried my family will be worried about me tryin' to get a date with a lady I met online."

Now she giggled once more.

"You tryin' to get a date, Deputy?" she asked; now Rick chortled.

"I guess I am," he replied, the fluttering in his stomach returned. "But only if you want to."

"I'd like that," Michonne said; her heart rate speeding up. "I'd like it a lot."

Rick felt relief wash over him.

"That's great to hear," he offered. "I was a little worried you'd give me a raincheck."

"How could I say no to a southern gentleman?" she flirted. "Just let me know when."

"I'll definitely let you know," he answered.

"Now," said Michonne. "Just so you know for future reference, I have a very sweet tooth."

"I could tell everything about you is sweet," Rick offered smoothly. "And I won't forget it."

…..

They spoke long into the night, laughing and sharing some details about one another; it was almost midnight by the time they reluctantly bid the other goodnight and ended the call. Rick lay back in bed wearing a wide grin; he did not feel sleepy at all as he kept playing the way Michonne laughed over and over in his mind. Michonne felt energized as she sprang up from the couch and made her way towards her bedroom. Once inside, she checked her phone and then opened her Twitter app; she typed something in quickly and then slid under her covers.

Her tweet read _: Gotta love that Southern charm : )_

A smile crossed her face as she thought of Rick's soothing voice and nice conversation. Both felt a sense of excitement as they imagined what might eventuate between them, eager for what the future might bring

A/N: The next chapter is up right now. Enjoy!


	6. Chapter 6

"I love the sound of your laugh," said Rick as he stretched out on his bed and held his phone to his ear. "It's nice. I could listen to you all day."

Michonne felt a fluttering in her stomach as she sat up in bed.

"Thank you," she offered with a smile before falling silent; Rick always seemed to give voice to what he was thinking in the moment and he always said such flattering things to Michonne.

"Knock, knock," said Rick, noting that she had gone quiet.

Michonne giggled a little before answering, "Who's there?"

"Justin."

"Justin, who?"

"I got here Justin time to tell you bad jokes so I can hear you laugh again," said Rick with a ridiculously goofy grin on his face; Michonne laughed uproariously at his dad humor.

"God, Rick," she said once she caught her breath. "Has anyone ever told you that you're a complete dork?"

Now he chuckled; "Yeah," he replied. "Once or twice."

"Are you this funny in person?" asked Michonne, hoping she would appear subtle.

"I don't know," said Rick, taking note of her hint. "I guess you'll have to tell me when we meet."

Michonne felt her heart speed up with anticipation.

"Well," she started. "My friend Sasha is an artist and has her work showing at one of the galleries on Saturday night. It's actually the opening of her exhibition, so I was thinking maybe you'd like to meet me there? We could drink champagne and eat canapes and pretend we know a thing or two about art."

Rick felt his heart skip a beat from excitement; he smiled before answering, "Yeah. _Yes_. Definitely. I'd love to meet you at your friend's art thing. You just tell me where and when and I'll be there."

Relieved, Michonne let out a little sigh.

"Great, I'll text through the details. Wow, I'm actually really excited," she said in earnest; Rick chortled.

"Yeah," he replied. "Me too."

xXxXx

"You're up early," said Rick as he tucked his shirt into his pants and straightened his uniform.

Carl looked at his father and shrugged as he continued to eat his cereal.

"You were up late," said Carl as Rick waited by the toaster.

"Not really," the older of the two offered.

"Then who were you talking to on the phone?" asked Carl as Rick gave him a questioning stare. "Come on, Dad! I heard you laughing. Thin walls, remember?"

Rick used the back of his thumb to scratch his forehead.

"I was just, ah, talkin' to a friend," Rick explained.

"Dad, Uncle Shane is funny, but he's not that funny. So who was it?" the teenager asked.

Rick sighed; he knew Carl was not going to let it go and he would persist with the questions until his father finally caved and told him.

"I met a lady," said Rick before thinking and rephrasing. "Well, I ain't exactly _met_ her yet. I've been, um, talkin' to her."

Carl looked at his father with furrowed brows.

"You're talking to some lady that you haven't met? What does that mean?" asked Carl as he placed his spoon back into the bowl.

Sighing once more, Rick wiped the back of his hand over his mouth.

"She's a friend, a Facebook friend, to be exact; and we've been talkin' for a little while now," said Rick.

"Dad, are you trying to tell me you met a lady online?" asked Carl with wide eyes.

"Yeah, but it's not a big deal, a lot of people make online friends…"

"But Dad, you're old!" said Carl, wearing an incredulous look.

"What does that have to do with it?" asked Rick.

"You're talking to a chick you met online, that's for young guys, not for someone's dad," Carl offered.

"And why is that?" asked Rick.

"I don't know. It just is," said Carl, shaking his head.

"So you don't like the idea?" Rick asked for clarification.

"No, I mean, I don't know. It's kind of like, embarrassing," Carl explained.

"You're embarrassed of me?" Rick queried, feeling genuinely hurt.

"No, Dad. It's like, are you gonna hook up with her or meet her or whatever?" Carl asked.

"I want to meet her, eventually," Rick said sincerely.

"Well what are you gonna tell people? Grandma and Grandpa?" the boy asked.

"I don't think it's anyone else's business, to be quite honest. All that matters to me is what you kids think," said Rick as he stood and walked to the sink. "And you're obviously not happy about it so…"

Carl sighed, feeling a little guilty for making his father feel bad.

"It's not that I'm not happy, Dad. I want you to be happy. I was just caught off guard, you know? It's not every day you find out your father has been online talking to chicks. If you want to meet this lady, then you go ahead. It shouldn't matter what other people think," said Carl just as Judith made her way into the kitchen; Rick did not respond but only bid his daughter good morning; he had a few things to consider.

xXxXx

The sound of the television hummed quietly in the background as Michonne looked over her day book. A glass of orange juice sat next to her pile of papers; she picked it up and drank from it as her phone began to ring. She smiled when she saw Rick's name on the display.

"Hey, Rick. How are you?" she said jovially.

"I'm doin' good," he answered. "You?"

"Looking at a stack of paperwork that need my attention," Michonne replied.

"Am I botherin' you?" he asked, concerned that he was drawing her attention away from her work.

"No, not at all," she answered with a smile. "What's up?"

"Listen, I ah, I wanted to let you know I'm not gonna be able to make it to your friends thing on Saturday," he said apologetically. "I'm so sorry."

Michonne felt her heart drop as she realized what Rick was saying; she did not answer right away.

"Michonne? You still there?" asked Rick, feeling awful for his decision.

"Yeah, I'm here," she said, sounding deflated. "Is everything okay? Is this a raincheck or 'I completely changed my mind and I'm calling this whole thing off' moment?"

She let out a small chuckle in an attempt to mask her disappointment.

"Everything's good, it's just somethin' with Carl came up and I have to deal with that," he said, which was not an entirely false statement; it was because of his son's reaction that Rick thought it best to wait a little longer to meet Michonne. "I still want to get together with you. Can we push it back until the following weekend?"

"Of course," Michonne answered, now feeling better about the situation. "You do what you need to do and then we'll meet."

xXxXx

Rick had just placed an order for pizza and was getting ready to settle onto the couch to watch a movie with Judith when he received a message from Michonne. It was Saturday night and if he had not been so quick to question what he and Michonne had going, he would have been getting ready to go on a date with her instead of preparing to watch _Frozen_ again.

He opened the message and was absolutely stunned by the image of the gorgeous woman he was lucky enough to be getting to know. Michonne had sent him a selfie with the caption: _In the words of the immortal Pink Floyd: Wish you were here…_

As he stared at her big brown eyes, blown away by her beauty, Rick sighed deeply and wished the same.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: To stave off the disappointment from the last update, here are our faves getting ready for their first date. Enjoy!

* * *

"What about this one?" asked Michonne as she held up a teal colored sun dress that had thin straps and would have fallen just below her knees.

Andrea tilted her head and looked as if she were thinking extremely hard.

"It's okay," she answered. "But you're going to the Laughing Skull afterwards and those stools aren't the most comfortable."

"True," replied Michonne. "But we're still going to have an early dinner first so I want to be presentable."

"Girl, you are _always_ presentable," said Andrea. "But I know what you mean."

It had been two weeks since Rick had cancelled his date with Michonne, but they had secured tickets to a comedy club for their first meeting. Now, as Michonne held her arms out while Andrea draped items of clothing over them, her excitement for the following evening was building.

"You also want something sexy," Andrea added. "But not too sexy that the man can't focus on the comedy acts."

Michonne let out a chuckle as Andrea handed more garments to her. She then stepped into the dressing room to try them on. The women continued to speak through the curtain.

"I guess it's like any other date," Michonne said, her voice sounding muffled from pulling her top over her head. "More like a blind date except you know what they look like. Actually, it's nothing like a blind date. It's a thing all its own. _Shit!_ "

"You okay?" asked Andrea.

"Yeah, my earring just got caught in my top," she replied. "What was I sayin'?"

"How this date isn't like other dates," Andrea reminded her.

"Oh, right. Yeah, it isn't like anything I've done before and I'm a little nervous," said Michonne as she stepped out from the curtain with the teal dress on. She patted the fabric down and did a little twirl for her friend.

"That color is great on you, so we'll throw it on the 'maybe' pile," said Andrea. "And don't be too nervous. He's a police officer…"

"Which means he could get away with killing me!" said Michonne, only half-jokingly before she went back behind the drapes.

"True, but I don't think that's gonna happen on the first date, second date maybe," she joked.

"Shut up!" said Michonne playfully. "You're meant to be reassuring me."

She stepped out from the curtain again with a form fitting black skirt that was high at the waist and hung just below her knees and a simple white top.

"Sorry," said Andrea. "You know you'll be fine and I love this look on you. It's simple but elegant. Toss it on the 'maybe' pile."

"Is everything gonna be worthy of the 'maybe' pile for you?" Michonne asked.

"Maybe," was Andrea's reply.

xXxXx

Rick stood inside the men's room at the restaurant and looked at himself in the mirror. He had debated whether or not he should shave his beard, but reasoned he always wore it that way and Michonne should get to meet him like that in case they would go on another date. Though he was feeling nervous about their first date, he really hoped there would be a second date. Just then, his phone started to vibrate; he smiled when he saw Michonne's name on his screen.

"Hello?" he answered, still trying to calm his excitement.

"Hi, Rick. I'm on my way now. About ten minutes away. My friend is gonna drop me off at the venue. Where are we meeting?" she asked.

"I'm here now," he replied. "Just hop out at the front. I'll wait for you there."

"Okay," Michonne said. "What will you be wearing? So I can pick you out of the crowd."

"Um, just a black top and jeans," he answered. "Then again, I saw five other guys like that just before."

Michonne chortled at his admission, "Hopefully I don't walk up to the wrong guy and introduce myself."

"Yeah, I hope not," said Rick with a smile. "I don't want some other guy stealin' my date."

She giggled once more before asking, "Can you take a selfie and send it to me? To be sure I go up to the right man."

"Ah, yeah. Sure, I can do that," he answered.

"I just posted one on Instagram so have a look and you'll know who I am when you see me," Michonne advised.

"I don't think I could miss beautiful lady like you," Rick offered, causing Michonne to beam brightly.

"Smooth, Rick," she said. "Very smooth."

They ended their calls and then Michonne heard a message come through on her phone; she opened it and saw a very handsome, but nervous looking Rick staring up at her. She could not help but smile as she felt the butterflies in her stomach.

Rick waited outside of the venue for his date. Standing away from a few of the people who had amassed there, he took his phone and went to Michonne's Instagram. Right away, he found the picture she had just posted. Her radiant smile made his heart skip a beat; he was lost in her eyes as he stood there staring at her picture. He did not hear the sound of high heels against the pavement as she came to stop in front of him.

"Rick?" asked Michonne, causing him to start; he put his phone away and then glanced at the woman before him.

He went to answer but his breath actually hitched when he laid eyes on her lovely face. He realized in that moment that none of the pictures he had stared at on his screen did justice to the glowing beauty who smiled sweetly at him.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry that I've not updated this one in a while. Here is Part 8.

* * *

"It's so great to finally meet you," said Michonne as she stood in front of Rick and smiled. He was actually left speechless for an instant; stunned by the beauty of her face and the utter warmth in her eyes.

"It is," he finally said, while extending his hand to her; she took it and shook gently as their fingers lingered a moment.

Rick gestured towards the entrance of the Vortex Bar and Grill and asked, "Should we head on in?"

"Sure," replied Michonne as she stepped inside while Rick held the door open; he followed behind her soon after.

"Have you been here before?" asked Michonne as they approached the hostess.

"No ma'am," said Rick. "I don't get to go out that often."

Michonne nodded as they were shown to a table; Rick held the chair out for her and she flashed him another bright smile before offering her thanks.

"You like a good burger?" she asked.

"I sure do," Rick replied.

"I'm glad you do because the burgers here are amazing," said Michonne before she looked at the menu.

Rick took a moment to take in their surroundings; the décor of the bar was a mixture of retro motorcycle paraphernalia, vintage Americana, skulls, and items one might find in someone's garage or yard sale.

"Have you ever seen that show Man versus Food?" she asked as she looked up from the list of decadence meals.

"Yeah," Rick replied. "The kids love it."

"I do too," she offered. "I could plan a trip around the country based on the places they visit. It's great."

Rick smiled at how her face lit up while she continued.

"So, anyway," said Michonne. "This place was featured on an episode. How cool is that?"

"That's very cool," Rick replied. "What was the challenge?"

"The Triple By-Pass Burger," said Michonne while nodding her head and wearing a grin; Rick laughed.

"I'm steering clear of that one," he said in earnest.

"Me too," Michonne agreed.

…..

After their orders were placed, Rick and Michonne sipped their drinks and made light conversation.

"Excuse me a sec," said Michonne, after a moment. "I'm just going to use the bathroom."

"Of course," said Rick; he stood when she did and watched her walk across the bar.

Michonne used the time spent waiting in line to send a message to Andrea to let her know that her date had started off well. She also updated her Facebook status, leaving it vague and open to interpretation: _Getting ready for the Reverse Cowgirl : )_

As Michonne made her way back to where she and Rick were seated, she noticed how he beamed brightly when their eyes met.

"Sorry about that," said Michonne as she took up a seat. "There was a line-up."

"That's okay," said Rick. "It's pretty busy in here."

"I hope that's alright," said Michonne. "I wasn't sure if you'd want to come to a bar and keep it casual or do the restaurant thing…it's okay, isn't it?"

Rick reached over and patted her hand reassuringly; her skin was warm where his touch landed and she missed the feeling as soon as he drew his hand away.

"Michonne, it's fine," he stated. "Anywhere is fine so long as it's with you."

She felt her face flush and gifted Rick with a coy smile.

"Gosh, you really are sweet," she said in earnest; Rick tilted his head and his lips turned up at the corners.

"I think that's you bringin' out the best in me," he offered. "I feel like I've known you all of my life."

"Yeah," Michonne replied. "That's how I feel too. Maybe we both have old souls."

"You could be on to somethin' there," said Rick "Or maybe it's something else. All I know is, I feel comfortable around you. This here, what we're doin', I never imagined I'd meet someone like this."

"Me too," Michonne interjected.

"But with you, it's been easy," Rick explained. "I don't know how to put it all into words…"

"You don't have to," said Michonne. "I know exactly what you're trying to say because I was thinkin' the same thing."

Rick offered her a smile before saying, "I'm really glad we did this."

"Yeah," said Michonne as she beamed sweetly at Rick. "So am I."

They searched each other's eyes until their food arrived; after thanking their waiter, they glanced at the meals before them.

"So that's a Reverse Cowgirl?" Rick asked as he gestured to the burger on Michonne's plate.

"It is," she said.

"I don't know what I was expecting with a name like that," Rick said nonchalantly.

"Oh, it's really good," Michonne offered with a smirk.

"I believe you," said Rick. "Now mine looks a mess."

Michonne chortled.

"It does," she said. "What's it called again?"

"A Zombie Apocalypse," Rick replied. "I guess this is what a zombie's face is meant to look like."

They both laughed before Rick continued. "Carl would get a kick outta this."

"You should take a picture and share it on Facebook so he can see it," Michonne advised.

"Yeah, I will," said Rick as he positioned the plate and then got out his phone. "I hope it tastes better than it looks."

He then posted the picture of the delicious, but messy-looking meal to his Facebook feed; the caption read: _This is called the Zombie Apocalypse. Will I survive it?_

There was a bustling crowd after the comedy performance was over as Rick and Michonne made their way out of the small theater. Bodies were close together as faint whiffs of alcohol wafted in the air. Rick, in the lead, looked back to make sure Michonne was still behind him as the bar was now teeming with more patrons. He stopped, reached back and took hold of her hand and then proceeded to lead her through the crowd. Once they ended up outside of the venue on the street, they did not let go; Michonne looked at Rick and he noticed that her beautiful face was awash with happiness. He felt the same.

"So," said Michonne as she stepped closer to Rick, placing her free hand to his chest. "I guess we should agree we like one another get this out of the way."

She then brought her hand up to his face and leaned in; their lips met in a gentle, languid kiss that Rick soon deepened. When they finally drew apart, they held each other's gaze; Rick smiled warmly and Michonne let out a little giggle. Hand-in-hand, they made their way to where Rick had parked his car.

* * *

Later that evening after their date was finished and each had returned home, Rick was still on a high as he anticipated their second date. Michonne was still on his mind when he posted yet another Facebook status which read: How did I ever get so lucky? : )


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: Hi all! I know I haven't updated this in ages; almost a year, to be exact. Please accept this small offering. Our faves are avoiding social media, for reasons that will soon become clear!

* * *

Michonne woke ten minutes before her alarm sounded. She rubbed her eyes, sat up in bed and then grabbed her phone; she set her alarm to snooze, just like she did most mornings, before it went off. Then, as per her routine, she checked her emails to ensure that she had ample time to deal with a work issue should one arise. Next, she checked her text messages. She smiled when she saw one from Rick.

 _Good morning_ , it read. Michonne began to reply.

 _Yes, it is_ , she typed. _How are you?_

Thus, their conversation began.

 _Great now that I've heard from you_ , he responded while smiling down at his screen. Suddenly, his phone began to ring; Michonne was calling him.

"Hey," he answered.

"Hey," she said.

"That's better," Rick replied. "I've missed your voice."

"Really? 'Cause we were on a date last night and did a lot of talking," she said playfully, referring to their second date, which consisted of dinner and a visit to Sasha's exhibition.

"Yeah, I know," Rick offered. "But I still missed talkin' to you as soon as we went our separate ways."

"You're too sweet, Rick," she offered sincerely.

"Hmmm, I reckon you're the sweetest," he crooned, causing a fluttering in her tummy. "What are your plans for today?"

"Work," she answered, somewhat dryly. "As usual. What about you?"

"Same," he groaned. "We should play hooky."

"I wish," Michonne offered, tempted by his suggestion.

"Let's stop wishin' and do it," said Rick. "Let's call in sick, and spend the day together."

"Are you serious?" she asked, with wide eyes and a bright smile.

"Yes," said Rick. "We could get away with it. You're a hard worker who's probably never taken a day off; I never call in. No one would have a problem with it. We should do this."

"Oh my goodness," said Michonne, not needing a whole lot of convincing. "We should, uh?"

"Definitely," Rick responded, with a pleased grin.

"Okay," said Michonne, feeling like she was a schoolgirl who was sneaking off to spend time with the boy she had a crush on. "So, where do we go? What should we do?"

"Well, we're pretending to be sick, so we can't really be galivantin' around town," Rick stated, his southern drawl thicker than usual.

Michonne nodded her head, finding his inflection pleasing, as she answered, "Yep. You're right about that. Maybe we could drive to the outskirts of the city, and have a picnic?"

"Hmm, that's a great idea, but I feel like it'd require a bit more planning than this," Rick replied. "I wouldn't wanna get lost, or not find anywhere that was good enough."

Michonne scrunched up her face, and said, "Yeah. I agree. Maybe we could just, I dunno, hang out here."

"Where?" asked Rick, wondering if she was implying what he thought she was.

" _Here_ ," she reiterated. "At my place. I mean, that's if you wanted to. We could order lunch, or cook it, whatever you wanted to do, and then hang out here. We could watch a movie, or start an impromptu book club; whatever you like."

Michonne listened for an answer. Rick was quiet on the other end of the phone. Suddenly, she felt foolish for even suggesting they spend time at her place. It was too much, too soon, she figured. She went to retract her offer, when Rick said, with unmistakeable enthusiasm, "Okay. Let's hang out at your place."

xXx

It took Rick around forty-five minutes to get ready, grab the required ingredients for their lunch from the supermarket, and make his way to Michonne's place. He had not been there before, but found it quite easily. Once inside the apartment building, he stood at her front door, with a grocery bag in hand. Using his other hand, he smoothed down his hair and fixed his clothing. Then, he knocked.

On the other side of the door, Michonne grew excited when she realized he was there. She checked her reflection in the small mirror that hung on her wall. Satisfied with her appearance, she peered through the peephole, and smiled when she saw Rick. She opened the door and then greeted him happily.

"Hey," she said with a large grin.

"Hey," Rick replied in kind.

"Oh, great," said Michonne, gesturing to the bag he was holding, as she stepped aside and allowed him to enter. "You got the stuff. Thanks."

"No problem," Rick offered, glad that he could please her. "Where'd you want these?"

"This way," she said, before leading him toward her kitchen and living quarters.

"Wow," said Rick as he took in his surrounds; he placed the groceries down on the countertop and surveyed the space. "This is a nice place you've got here."

"Thanks," she smiled, as she began to unpack the food Rick had brought. "Make yourself at home."

He admired the tidiness of her home, as well as the little decorating choices that spoke so much of her personality. The décor suited Michonne. There were a number of little baroque statues that lined her bookshelves. Items, such as couch cushions, vases, and various ornaments were colorful and vibrant. They matched the lively colors of the paintings that hung on her walls.

"Have a seat," Michonne said to Rick, as she gestured to the sofa; he sauntered over, but then stopped to examine one of the paintings closer.

"Is this one of your friend's artworks?" he asked, referring to Sasha, whose work he had just recently seen.

"Yes, it is," Michonne replied with a smile; he was very observant.

"I thought so," he offered, before taking a seat, and grinning over at Michonne. He took in her appearance; she wore a simple blue maxi dress, with thin straps. She looked radiant, even in unassuming attire. Dressed humbly himself, in jeans and a nicely pressed button-down shirt, he let his eyes drink her up. She was stunning when she wasn't even trying.

"So, am I cooking for you," Michonne started. "Or are we doin' this together?"

Rick looked contemplative a moment, before offering her a grin, and then saying, "I think together is best."

xXx

"Smells great," said Rick as he watched Michonne add the finely cut, sautéed pieces of chicken to the tomato-based sauce. She stirred the food with a wooden spoon, and then turned the heat down on her stove top.

"Here," she said, holding the spoon out to Rick. "Try it and tell me if it's any good."

He indulged her, and brought his mouth down to taste what they had cooked. Michonne watched as his tongue skirted along the side of the server, before taking it in between his lips, and cleaning it of its contents. She withdrew it, and watched as his eyes rolled shut briefly.

"That," said Rick, opening his eyes and smiling. "Is delicious."

Suddenly, Michonne extended her hand to his face, and used her thumb to wipe away a spattering of sauce that sat at the corner of his mouth. His expression changed as he held her gaze.

"Sorry," she said, a little coyly. "You had a little…"

Before she could finish her explanation, Rick took her into his arms, drew her body flush against his, and planted a deep, passionate kiss to her mouth.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Hello, Dear Readers. We have reached part 10, and with that, I have changed the rating to M. Thanks for the support. I hope you enjoy. Please forgive any formatting issues; I was editing this on my phone. Picking up where we left our faves.

* * *

The kiss surprised Michonne. One moment, she was pleased that Rick had found her cooking to be delicious, the next, she was leaning against the countertop in her kitchen, with Rick's body pressed against hers. Her clean floor was sullied by sauce from the wooden spoon she had dropped. But she had no time to think about the small mess they had made, because her lips and tongue were now joined passionately with Rick's. They broke apart breathlessly, and she placed her hands to his firm chest.

"Sorry," Rick whispered, his own hands gripping her backside, as he rested his brow against hers.

"It's okay," she replied, before reaching for his hand, leading him to the sofa, and gesturing for him to sit. "You should probably wait over here until I serve the food."

Rick obliged and took up a seat, though his fingers were still entwined in hers. He stared up at her, his eyes a dark hue; his lips, pink and swollen from their kiss. She stared down at him; her chest still heaving. He took hold of her other hand, and then slowly draped her arms over his shoulders, while drawing her down onto his lap so that she was soon straddling him. She did not behave coyly, instead, she smiled at him and then brought her lips back to his. His hands found her backside once more, as she laced her fingers through his curls.

The skirt of her maxi dress was hiked up, and Rick soon chanced a touch of the smoothness of her thigh. Her scent was intoxicating; her mouth was sweet. Her body, on and against his, awoke his desire that was straining against his jeans. He broke the kiss and then placed his mouth to her clavicle; his hand soon found her breast. She moaned a little as her nipple grew stiff under the scant fabric of her blue dress. The sweet sound caused a stirring of his arousal; Rick had an inkling Michonne could _feel_ just how excited he was. When she rolled her hips and brushed her center against his hardness, he _knew_ she could feel it.

They kissed passionately once again. She trailed her tongue across his bottom lip, before biting it as she drew away. He wanted her so very much in that moment. She held his gaze, stroked his hair, and then offered him the most seductive smile he had seen in his entire life. Finally, after staring into his soul, Michonne slowly drew the thin straps of her dress down off of her shoulders, removed her arms, and then freed her breasts. Hungrily, Rick eyed the pert mounds; her dark nipples stood proudly, beckoning for him to touch and taste.

"You're so gorgeous," he whispered, before kissing her chest. He cupped each breast, and kissed both in turn, before bringing his lips to her nipple. He sucked at, and swirled his tongue around the small hardened bud, causing Michonne to whimper again, as she fumbled at his belt buckle.

In a swift move, Rick lifted Michonne and flipped her onto her back on the sofa; she let out a little squeal and then giggle which caused him to grin devilishly at her. She was adorable and sexy all at once and he was smitten, not to mention unbelievably then resumed his attentions, after positioning himself between her thighs.

His hands roamed over her body, and her body responded to his touch. Every once in a while, they would stop their sensual workings and stare into one another's eyes.

Kneeling, Rick unbuttoned his shirt and hastily discarded it. Michonne sat up and ran her hands over his abdomen and up to his solid chest, before trailing her fingers southward. Both she and Rick reached for his belt buckle at the same time. They each let out a slight chuckle, before he abandoned his efforts, and focused on sliding his hands up under her dress. He pulled her panties off of her hips, just as she undid his zipper and reached for his erection.

"Shit," said Rick, while he gently took hold of her wrist to stop her. "I don't have any protection."

"What?" asked Michonne. "Really?"

"Yeah," Rick replied. "I wasn't expectin' this to happen between us today."

He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles, then asked, "Have you got anything?"

"Um, I don't think so," she answered honestly. "But let me check my nightstand."

She shifted, tried to right her garments, and then stood. Rick followed behind her, holding his jeans up.

"We should probably take it to the bedroom anyway," he offered, causing her to nod her head; she was thinking the same thing.

When they got to her bedroom door, he stepped behind her and wrapped one arm around her waist as he cupped her bare breast with his other hand. He then kissed her shoulder, before bringing his lips to her neck.

"You are amazing, Michonne. And I want you so bad," he whispered close to her ear. "Are you sure about this?"

Michonne took hold of his hand, and then guided it up under her dress. His fingers found her sweet arousal, as she widened her stance ever so slightly so that he could feel how willing she really was.

"Yes, Rick. I'm sure," she replied with a deeply lust-filled tone, as they both massaged her warm, moist sex. "I want you, too."


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks to all of those who followed and read. Thanks to those who left me feedback; it really is appreciated. Shout out to: ChinaPia; member00; stscroggins; amberjoy38; jerkchickenz; Firefly-class; rumark24; cocoamoonstone; vikaris; QTFics; Fortylove; atm0000; literaturechick; grimes1970; semul; Nairobia; Ricola44; Cleo; wereworldsurvivor; flacagonzales; Lovelyshmi; MannaRN; ; and Guests.

* * *

Rick buttoned his shirt, before rearranging himself in his jeans; his erection was still there. Michonne turned off the stove, and watched him; the persistent throbbing between her thighs was still present. After the last button was fastened, he approached and gave her a quick kiss to the lips.

"I'll be back as fast as I can," he promised, making his way hastily to the exit of the apartment.

"Okay," said Michonne. "Don't be too long."

He looked back at her and licked his lips, "I won't. Now, the drugstore is just around the corner?"

"Yeah," she replied. "Go right, you can't miss it."

Rick nodded, and then walked back to where Michonne was standing. He wrapped his arms around her once more and pressed a deep, sensuous kiss to her lips, before he dragged himself away. He needed to get condoms so that they could explore this overwhelming lust and attraction they shared. She smiled and watched him leave her home, silently hoping he would return swiftly to put her out of this delicious misery.

…..

After pressing the button for the elevator, Rick checked the time on his wristwatch, and then looked to see which floor it was on: It was in the basement of the building. Impatiently, he thumbed the button once more and then waited. There was no movement. Rick sighed and then looked around the corridor. One of the apartment doors opened, and a young man stepped out. He approached, nodded his head in greeting, and then stood next to Rick. They waited a moment, and there was _still_ no movement.

"The elevator has been messing up a bit over the past few weeks," said the young man, and he began to walk away. "Quicker to take the stairs."

Rick watched him shift toward the stairwell, and then make his way down. He decided he should do the same, as he did not want to make Michonne wait longer than she had to. Hurriedly, he went to the stairs, and descended them, spurred on by his desire to return to the beautiful woman in the apartment, and to pick up where they had left off.

…..

Michonne walked into the bathroom and checked her appearance once more. She had fixed her clothing back into place. Yet, she wore a knowing little smirk because when Rick got back, he would remove the garments and explore fully what was underneath. She could not sit still because of the anticipation.

She wondered a moment if she should change into some sexy lingerie, but thought better of it, knowing Rick would be back sooner rather than later. She also kept it in mind that he was quite attracted to her without said undergarments.

After checking herself in the mirror, she retrieved a couple of small candles from her shelf, and placed them on her nightstand. They smelled of jasmine, and would create a more relaxed atmosphere for her and Rick to be better acquainted in.

She wanted this with him, and she wanted it eagerly. Briefly, while they were getting to know one another on the sofa, the thought had registered that maybe this was too soon. Then Rick kissed her clavicle and she lost her train of thought. _Yes_. She wanted this with him.

Leaving the candles unlit beside her bed, she walked back out to the kitchen and stirred the food again. She looked at the time on the clock; he had been gone a while longer than she had expected. The drugstore around the corner from her building was not usually _too_ busy during the daytime, she recalled. She was certain he knew what he was looking for, and where exactly to find it. Then a thought crept into her mind: What if her forwardness had put Rick off once the blood had flowed back to his brain? What if he, after getting some fresh air, had changed his mind?

Growing a little worried, she went to check her phone. Her heart sank when she saw five missed calls from Rick. Taking a deep breath, Michonne returned his call. After two rings, he answered the phone.

"Hello?" said Rick.

"Hey," Michonne replied.

"Thank God," Rick said in a relieved tone.

"Everything okay?" she asked, twirling her hair around her finger.

Taking a discreet, deep breath, she steeled herself for his excuse. Would he tell her he was not ready to take this step? Would he say he had gone straight to his car and was on his way home? She felt her tummy do little somersaults as she waited for his response.

"Umm, this is kind o' awkward," he started, before clearing his throat. "But, ah, I'm gonna need a bit of help."

"What happened?" she asked, growing concerned.

"I had a little accident," Rick explained.

"Oh my goodness!" said Michonne. "Rick, what happened?"

"Well," he offered. "I was rushing down the stairs, ya see, and I tripped and I'm pretty sure I twisted my ankle."

xXxXx

"Thanks again for this," Rick said, somewhat drowsily, as Michonne drove him home. They had come from the emergency room, and upon examination, it was determined that he had, in fact, sprained his ankle. Their wait there had taken up a large portion of their afternoon. He was grateful that she had stayed with him; she was thankful he had not hurt himself in a more serious manner.

"It's okay, Rick," she replied, smiling over at him. His eyelids appeared to be growing heavier; she attributed that to the pain medication he had been given. "I want you to get home safely. Left up ahead?"

"Yeah, left up here," he offered. "And then it's the fourth house on the right."

Michonne followed his directions, and turned into the quiet, suburban street. Rick pointed toward his home, and she pulled into the driveway. After turning the car off, she spun to offer him another smile.

"Sorry I ruined our plans," he said, pouting. She found him to be so adorable in that moment.

"Don't be sorry," she said, placing her hand to his shoulder. "It was an accident. Besides, I was hoping we'd get a do-over."

"A do-over, eh?" Rick asked, wearing a smirk of his own.

"Yeah," she replied flirtatiously. "When you're feeling better, of course."

Rick brushed her hair away from her face, and then said, "I feel better already."

He then leaned in and placed a kiss to her mouth. It started off slow and languid, but soon grew passionate, as she laced her fingers in his hair, and he tried desperately to close the distance between them. They withdrew from the kiss when Rick winced in pain.

"You alright?" she asked.

"Yeah, just bent my ankle a little," he offered. "I'm okay. C'mere."

He drew her face closer again, and planted another kiss on her lips. Just as he was about to bring his hand up under her dress, there came a tapping on the window behind her. They broke apart quickly, and turned to see a youngster standing there staring in at them.

"Shit," said Rick, as he pressed the button to roll down the window. "Hey, Son."

"Hi, Dad," Carl replied, glancing at his father, then at the stranger sitting awkwardly in the front seat of his father's car. "What're you doin' home so early?"

"Oh, I had a little accident…"

"Dad?" asked Carl, his face creasing with concern.

"It's nothin'," Rick answered. "Just a sprain. Michonne brought me home."

The boy glanced at the woman questioningly. He knew his father had gone a few dates, but he had not met the woman yet. Rick remembered this as he took in his son's expression.

"I should introduce both o' you," said Rick, somewhat nervously. "Michonne, this is my son, Carl."

She gave him a sweet smile, and said, "Hello."

"Carl, this is my, uh," Rick stammered. "This is…my _friend_ , Michonne."


End file.
